Level.



GILBERT JORGE-N BENSEN, 0F SEATTLE, WASHINGTON.

LEVEL.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Oct. 19, 1909.

Application filed August 14, 1908. Serial No. 448,635.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, GILBERT JORGEN BEN- SEN, a citizen of the United States of America, and a resident of the city of Seattle, in the county of King and State of VVashington, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Levels, of which the following is a specification.

My invention aims primarily to provide a spirit level which is simple in construction, the transparent tube having oppositely disposed inclined portions intermediate the lengths of which the end portions of the bubble will lie when the device is disposed in a horizontal position.

IVith this object in view, the invention resides in the construction and arrangement of parts, hereinafter described and defined in the claims hereto annexed.

Referring to the accompanying drawing in which like numerals of reference indicate like parts throughout: Figure l is a view in side elevation of my invention, the upper portion thereof being broken away. Fig. 2 is a top plan view thereof, and Fig. 3 is a cross sectional view.

In carrying out my invention I provide a suitable body or holder 1, the same being formed in its upper edge portion with a longitudinally extending seat 2 over which extends a facing 3. Facing 3 is formed at suitably spaced points with sight openings 4 and has its end portions bent to form angular extensions 5 with which fastening means as screws are engaged for securing the facing in position.

Arranged in seat 2 is the transparent spirit holder or tube 6. This spirit holder or tube is of novel construction, the same having its upper wall provided with oppositely disposed inclined portions 6 which are connected by a straight intermediate wall portion 6 on which facing 3 bears and thereby holds the spirit holder or tube 6 against outward movement from its seat.

Inclined wall portions 6 are arranged directly beneath the sight openings 4, and as now considered, are inclined upwardly from the ends of the tube.

The spirit is placed in the holder or tube 6, in the usual manner, in such quantity as to only partly fill the same and provides an air bubble which extends from points substantially midway the lengths of the inclined wall portion 6, when the device is held horizontally as illustrated by dotted. lines in Figs. 1 and 2.

By my improved construction the reading is done by the ends of the bubble, whereas, in the common type of spirit levels the whole bubble must be considered, that is, the operator must practically guessat the center of the bubble and aline such center with the center of the single opening. Furthermore, in order to have the ends of the bubble normally beneath the slight openings 4, a comparatively large space which is free of the spirit must exist in the upper portion of the tube and such construction and arrangement I have found to be effected but slightly, under the influences of sudden changes in atmospheric conditions, as compared with spirit levels employing a small bubble. Further, facing 3 being formed with spaced openings 4, protects the entire immediate portion of the tube from injury.

Having thus described my invention what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States of America, is:

1. A spirit level comprising a body formed with a seat, a spirit tube arranged in the seat of said body and having the end portions of its upper wall inclined upwardly toward one another, a facing extending over said tube and engaged therewith for holding the same in position, said facing being formed with sight openings arranged directly over the inclined wall portions of said tube and having down turned end portions secured to said body.

2. A spirit level comprising a body formed with a seat, a spirit tube arranged in the seat of said body and having its upper wall formed with oppositely inclined portions spaced apart and connected by an intermediate horizontally disposed wall portion, and a facing extending over said intermediate portion of said top wall of said spirit tube so as to cover the same and formed with spaced sight openings arranged directly over said inclined portions of the top wall of said spirit level.

3. A spirit level comprising a body formed with a seat, a spirit tube in said seat, said tube having oppositely inclined end portions, said body being equipped with a facing provided with spaced sight openings adjacent the inclined opposite ends of the Signed at Seattle, \Vashington this 4th tfiube, said tube containing a body of liquid day of August 1908.

ormin a single air bubble the opposite ends of the bubble at the points of contact GILBERT JORGEN BENSEN 5 With the tube forming visible lines exposed Witnesses:

at the sight openings when the device is sub- 0. J. OLSEN, stantially in level position. C. A. CHRISTENSEN. 

